Abstract
The
use of herbal dietary supplements is rapidly growing worldwide with the
public striving to improve their health. However, clear evidence for
carcinogenicity of several popular herbal extracts in 2-year rodent
studies by the National Toxicology Program has raised concerns about
their safety. In this chapter, the authors summarize recent findings on
the genotoxic effects of three prevalent herbal supplements, Aloe vera, Ginkgo biloba,
and goldenseal, with a focus on standard genotoxicity assays. In
general, there is a paucity of genotoxicity data for herbal extracts.
Recent studies of herbal extract genotoxicity focused on the
mutagenicity of their key chemical ingredients. Currently, a need exists
for comprehensive understanding of risk versus efficacy profiles,
standardization of chemical components, and systematic clinical trials
for safe application of herbal products.
Keywords
- Herbal dietary supplements;
- genotoxicity;
- Aloe vera;
- Ginkgo biloba;
- goldenseal
Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
